IYATIKU is the Keresan Goddess of corn and the underworld. The Keres were one of the Pueblo peoples of the American Southwest. From her home in the underworld, "shipap", Iyatiku sent mankind out into the world. To make sure that her children would thrive, she planted pieces of her heart in the ground. From each piece, a cornfield grew. Iyatiku watches over her children still, welcoming them back to the underworld when their life is done.

FOHSU is the Fante Goddess of salt. She is said to reside near a large salt pond at Cape Coast, the center of the Fante peoples of Ghana. She is depicted as being a giantess with white skin. She supplies her worshippers with salt, a very valuable commodity.

"INANNA" IS AN ANCIENT SUMARIAN GODDESS; SHE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GODDESS OF THE SUMARIAN PANTHEON. IT IS SAID THAT UNDER HER RULE, THE PEOPLE AND THEIR COMMUNITIES PROSPERED AND THRIVED. AND EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS NEVER CONSIDERED A "MOTHER GODDESS", SHE HEADED A LONG LINE OF HISTORICAL FEMALE DEITIES CONCERNED WITH THE FERTILITY OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

INANNA IS THE GODDESS OF LOVE, FERTILITY, AND WAR. SHE IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE DAUGHTER OF THE SKY GOD, AN. SHE IS THE GODDESS OF THE MORNING AND EVENING STAR...VENUS. SHE IS CLOTHED WITH THE HEAVENS AND CROWNED WITH THE STARS. SHE WEARS A RAINBOW AS HER NECKLASS AND THE ZODIAC IS HER BELT. HER SISTER IS ERESHIGAL, THE GODDESS OF THE UNDERWORLD, AND IT IS INANNA'S RELATIONSHIP TO HER SISTER WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF ONE OF THE MOST EVOCATIVE TALES SURVIVING FROM SUMER...THE DESCENT OF INANNA INTO THE UNDERWORLD.

THE STORY GOES THAT INANNA HAD TO MAKE A JOURNEY INTO THE UNDERWORLD TO MEET HER DARK SISTER, ERESHIGAL; INANNA WISHES TO EXPERIENCE HER DARK SIDE. AS SHE ENTERS THROUGH THE SEVEN GATES, SHE HAS TO RELINQUISH ALL OF HER WORLDLY ATTIRE...AFTER WHICH INANNA FINDS HERSELF STANDING NAKED IN FRONT OF HER SISTER. ERESHIGAL LAYS INANNA AND HANGS HER ON A PEG. AFTER THREE DAYS, INANNA'S FAITHFUL COMPANION, NINSHUBAR (QUEEN OF THE EAST) BECOMES WORRIED AND APPEALS TO THE GOD OF WISDOM FOR HER RELEASE. ENKI MODELS TWO LITTLE FIGURES FROM CLAY AND INSTRUCTS THEM TO ENTER THE UNDERWORLD AS FLIES THEY CARRY WITH THEM FOOD AND WATER WHICH, WHEN SPRINKLED ON INANNA WILL CAUSE HER TO RISE.

INANNA IS RESTORED TO ACTIVE LIFE AND BEGINS HER ASCENSION BACK TO THE WORLD OF THE LIVING. HOWEVER, SHE IS STOPPED AND TOLD THAT SHE CANNOT LEAVE UNLESS SOMEONE TAKES HER PLACE. WHEN SHE RETURNS TO EARTH, SHE DISCOVERED THAT HER CONSORT, DAMUZI DID NOT MOURN HER; IN FACT, HE EVEN TOOK ON MORE POWER DURING HER ABSENCE. INANNA ALLOWED THEM TO TAKE DAMUZI IN HER PLACE.

THERE ARE MANY POEMS WRITTEN FOR INANNA. THE HYMNS TO HER ARE BEAUTIFUL, POETIC, AND A TESTAMENT TO HER POWER. THE FOLLOWING IS PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS. IT WAS WRITTEN BY ENHEDUANNA, THE FIRST AUTHOR NAMED IN WESTERN HISTORY)

"JEWELLED AND CROWNED WITH LIFE, BORN TO BE LORD"IN YOUR HAND ARE THE GUARDIAN SPIRITS OF THE SEVEN GODS,"AND YOU YOURSELF GUARD AND PROTECT THE GUARDIAN SPIRITS. "YOU HAVE TAKEN THEM UP AND TIED THEM TO YOUR HANDS,"HAVE GATHERED THEM IN AND PRESSED THEM TO YOUR BREAST."

"YOU CAN FILL THE LAND WITH POISON LIKE A SNAKE,"PLANTS VANISH FROM THE EARTH AND YOU THUNDER LIKE ANU,"AT YOUR COMMAND THE FLOODS COME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN."

"SUPREME OF POWER, INANNA OF HEAVEN AND EARTH,"WHOSE MOUTH RAINS SPARKLES OF LIGHTNING OVER THE LAND,"MISTRESS OF THE BEASTS, GIVEN THE GOD'S LIFE-SPIRITS,"BY AN, BY AN THE UNFAILING WORD"TO SPEAK AT HIS FATEFUL COMMAND: WHO CAN FATHOM YOUR GLORY?"

"...O WILD AND RAMPANT, ELDEST DAUGHTER OF THE MOON"QUEEN, GREATER THAN AN, WHO CAN PAY YOU SUFFICIENT HOMAGE."

"QUEEN OF QUEENS, WHO IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPIRITS,"WERE GREATER THAN YOUR MOTHER THE MOMENT YOU WERE BORN,"WISE AND KNOWING QUEEN OF ALL THE LANDS,"MOTHER OF MEN AND ANIMALS, I SING YOUR PRAISE..."

"I HAVE ENTERED BEFORE YOU IN MY HOLY GARMENTS,"I, THE PRINCESS IMPERIAL, ENHEDUANNA,"SINGING AS I CARRIED YOUR RITUAL BASKETS."

"HIGH PRIESTESS OF THE MOON, BUT NOW NO LONGER"CAN I SERVE THE GOODLY TEMPLE THAT I ESTABLISHED,"FOR THE DAY THAT DAWNS IN UR SCORCHES MY SKIN,"AND THE SAND OF THE SOUTHWIND OVERWHELMS ME AT NIGHTFALL."

"MY HONEY SWEET VOICE IS HOARSE AND STRIDENT"AND ALL THAT GAVE ME PLEASURE HAS FALLEN TO DUST."

"ENLIL, CURSE THEM, AND LET THEIR CHILDREN PERISH,"WITH NO MOTHER THERE TO SOOTHE THEM!"

"...THE QUEEN OF QUEENS, THE PROP OF ALL NATIONS,"ACCEPTED ENHEDUANNA'S PRAYERS; HER HEART"WAS AGAIN AS OLD, THE DAY BECAME PROPITIOUS"INANNA SHOWERED HER BEAUTY AND ALLURE,"AND JOY LIKE SILVER MOONLIGHT OVER OUR LAND!"

"ACIENT NANU IN WONDER AND AWE, AND NINGAL"HER MOTHER, WORSHIPPED AT THE TEMPLE'S DOORSTEP."

"PRIESTESS, QUEEN, NOBLE COMMANDER OF GODS,"DESTROYER OF BARBARIANS, WHOM AN MADE PROTECTOR OF SPIRITS,"QUEEN, CLOTHED IN ALLURE AND ATTRACTION. INANNA: PRAISE!"

(THE HYMN OF ENHEDUANNA, DAUGHTER OF SARGON, PRINCESS IMPERIAL OF SUMER AND PRIESTESS OF INANNA AND THE MOON AT UR; 2300 B.C. ENHEDUANN'S STORY CAN BE FOUND ON MY OTHER BLOG, I AM WOMAN